It snowed last night in the Daulet Beg Oldi sector and the temperature along the 1,597 km long Royal Line of Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh has plummeted below zero with a fierce wind that has reduced the chill factor.
Despite the elements, Indian Army troops have not moved an inch from their positions in all areas of friction and have been facing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since May this year. There are no changes in the position of the troops or the Indian armor on the ground, even as some reports have speculated that both India and China have decided to reduce the escalation and withdraw the troops without patrol zones at the friction points. India and China have completed eight rounds of talks on separation and de-escalation with tangible results that are yet to be seen.
Undeterred by inclement weather, Indian troops pack into snow tents and igloos with the adversary living in containers across LAC. With the Indian Army fully deployed in LAC along with specialized forces, the Border Roads Organization has decided to keep all the high mountain passes: Marsimika La (18,314 feet near Hot Springs), Chang La (17,585 feet on the road to Pangong Tso ) and Khardung La (17,582 ft, on the road to DBO): open to army movement all winter long.
“All the reports on withdrawal and de-escalation agreed to step by step are speculative, as negotiations are still ongoing at the level of the military commanders. There is no change in any position on the ground with the Indian troops in high spirits and ready to face the challenges posed by the PLA and the deteriorating climate, ”said a senior military commander.
A former army chief and a senior diplomat agreed by saying that progress in LAC will not be achieved easily, as both sides are testing each other’s ability and capacity to withstand the weather. “It’s a game of staring. Whoever blinks first will lose, ”said a former army chief.
PLA troops are also packed on their LAC side and hold their positions in Gogra-Hot Springs, North Pangong Tso and South Pangong Tso with an increase in troops throughout the DBO sector. According to the available inputs, the Chinese are at the base camp in Galwan sector and at the sticking point at finger four in Pangong Tso with continuous troop rotation.
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